Virtual + Low Contact Holiday Service Ideas for Students

The holiday season may look and feel a little bit different this year, but serving others has never been more important! There are some in-person service opportunities that simply can't take place this year due to COVID-19, but there are still many creative ways to make an impact in your community this holiday season. 

Holiday Season Service Ideas

• Host a virtual holiday party for a senior citizen center or nursing home
• Partner with local organizations or churches to sponsor a child for the holidays by providing gifts or needed items 
• Connect with the homebound: if there people in your community that are homebound because of the pandemic, provide connection and conversation virtually so they don't feel alone during the holidays
• Record yourself singing or playing festive songs and share the videos with residents at a local nursing home
• Leaf raking or snow shoveling for neighbors 
• Organize a food donation drive for a local food pantry for the holidays and volunteer to help organize and sort the donations
• Adopt a family by organizing a meal kit for family in need in your community. Deliver this to them at a safe distance
• Volunteer to gather clothing, blankets, and food donations from your neighborhood and donate the items to your local shelter

National Organizations
There are also national organizations that offer opportunities to assist others in virtual ways during the holidays:

• Meals on Wheels 
• BestBuddies 
• Be My Eyes
• Soldiers Angels

How else can you find volunteer opportunities in your community?

• Reach out to nonprofit organizations in your area and ask what needs they have right now to support your local community's needs
• If you have a place of worship, ask what opportunities they might have or what volunteer programs they are running during the holidays
• Ask your parents, grandparents, and family members how you can be serving in extraordinary ways in the home or by helping them during the holiday season

When you are finished serving, be sure to record your service hours in x2VOL and write reflections on your community impact. 

Volunteers are needed during the holidays, but don't forget to continue to serve in the new year after the influx of holiday service has ended. Service never stops and your spirit of volunteerism is need in this world and in your communities! 

How Can x2VOL Help?

Now more than ever, online learning resources are a must for students and administrators, and service tracking is no different! By taking service tracking online, school administrators have more control and access to student service data than ever before, while students have one central place to record their service experiences and reflections. Watch a demo of x2VOL and see how you can take service tracking completely online.